The Garden State is currently under a State of Emergency as a powerful winter storm transforms the post-Christmas commute into a treacherous mix of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, What began as a picturesque snowfall in Downtown Ridgewood quickly turned into a “dangerous mess” along major arteries like Route 17, where near-whiteout conditions and multiple vehicle spinouts were reported Friday evening.
🚦 Commercial Vehicle Ban & State Alerts
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has taken the aggressive step of banning commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers, from major interstates until at least Saturday morning.
“We have six major hospitals here in Bergen County,” stated County Executive James Tedesco. “We have to make sure all the roadways around those hospitals are accessible.”
❄️ Bergen County’s Massive Response
Bergen County officials have deployed a small army of personnel to combat the ice. The county’s internal operation, pulling from the DPW, Parks, and Public Safety departments, is working on 12-hour shifts to keep critical routes open.
photo coutresy of Bergen County Executive James Tedesco
The Cleanup by the Numbers:
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Fleet: Over 100 snow plows, salt trucks, and specialized vehicles.
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Manpower: Between 100 and 150 workers currently on call.
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Contracted Towns: The County is handling full snow removal for Carlstadt, Lodi, Hackensack, Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes, Mahwah, and Oakland (Skyline Drive).
📍 Local Forecast: Montvale’s Timing
Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali provided a detailed breakdown of the storm’s progression to help residents time their safety measures. While the snow began in the late afternoon, the most dangerous phase—the ice transition—is hitting right now.
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Snow Accumulation: 4 to 8 inches (7 inches likely).
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The Ice Factor: Freezing rain and ice expected to start between 10 PM and Midnight.
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Duration: The storm is projected to taper off between 7 AM and 9 AM Saturday.
⚠️ Safety Checklist for Saturday Morning
If you must head out on Saturday, keep these emergency protocols in mind:
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Move Your Car: Keep all vehicles off the street so DPW crews can clear the “slushy mess” before it freezes solid overnight.
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Untreated Roads: Sleet and freezing rain will make untreated surfaces—especially side streets and driveways—extremely slippery.
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Give Plows Space: Stay at least 50-100 feet behind snowplows. They have limited visibility and need room to salt.
Winter Storm Update: Dec 27, 2025
| Metric | Status |
| State of Emergency | ACTIVE |
| Commercial Vehicle Ban | Effective until Saturday morning |
| Total Snowfall | 4–8 Inches (Regional average) |
| Major Hazard | Freezing rain and icing overnight |
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Wasn’t that bad when we get about 4 inches 5 inches in Ridgewood
When did we become so soft?
Back in the 50’s and early 60’s, in Rutherford we had to have at least 12″ of snow before they would consider closing the schools.
I recall a hurricane in 1960 or thereabouts. They didn’t send us home until the winds started to pick up.
Taking your car to school (IF you had one) was forbidden unless you had to go to a job directly after school.
And (this was a big one) on cold days. The girls could only wear pants to and from school and had to change into dresses while in the building. Jeans?????????